48 THE EXCi"LLENCÌ OP' DERBt.<44P. flesh? How many new ones are superadded ? And how much is their force of persuasion encreased, when the power and success of them has appeared in such won- drous instances as the New Testament sets before our eyes ? How are the worst of sinners encouraged to lay hold of a promise of mercy, and to rest upon it, when our blessed Saviour received publicans and other noto- rious criminals, when Levi and Za' cheus were so favour- ed by him, when 1\fary Magdalen found pardon for the guilt of a public and shameless life, when Paul the per- secutor and blasphemer obtained mercy, and was made a favourite and an apostle, and when he assures us that his conversion was designed to this blessed purpose, as a pattern of abounding grace? I Tim. i. 16. How powerfully are humble and despairing christians supported, and backsliders encouraged to return to God in a way of dutiful obedience, when ,Peter, who fell in the hour of temptation and denied his Lord, was reco- vered to repentance by a compassionate look of Christ, and not only received to forgiveness, but advanced to the first rank of office in the kingdom of Christ, and did glorious service for him ? But it is time to put an. end to this discourse, and it shall be concluded with a few Inferences. Inference I. " Though every part of our bible be sacred and divine, yet the latter part of it is much more valuable to us than the former :" The New Testament far exceeds the Old, because it reveals to us this better covenant, and makes us possessors of these better pro- mises. The books of Moses and the prophets, and the psalms of David, contain admirable discoveries of the majesty and mercy of God, but where the beams of Jesus the Sun of Righteousness shine, there is not only a more glorious light to direct our steps, and to enliven our spirits, but there is a new lustre shed abroad over the psalms and the ancient prophets, and the typical ce- remonies and promises of Moses. So that in Great Britain and in our age, we understand those ancient di- vine writings much better than the Israelites in the land of Canaan could understand them,. even better than Moses and the prophets understoodwhat they themselves were inspired to write. John the baptist was greater than all the .prophets, because he could point to Jesus 3
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